First off an apology, I kind of posted an ran yesterday and never replied to all of the good wishes, kind words and congratulations from everyone on here and on my Facebook page. So sorry about that.
I had meetings all day out of the office yesterday up until about 2130hrs. Crap, but what can you do? So I'm sorry for my silence!
Yesterday as you might guess was very manic, I had an off road pedal early doors around the Lickeys and the canal to Alvechurch which was my last chance to rack up leisure miles for Phill's 100m challenge. I finished on 163.31 miles. All off road on a MTB. Pleasingly I did a total of 579.31 miles for the month which means I won my own little competition, that of being the highest mileage fat biker in the race. I knew that JB and Red would run off with the competition if they entered, and annoyingly they did! But they're not fat and struggle with every pedal rotation, so yah boo sucks etc! No, only joking, they're both great blokes who I'm honoured to say I've met and pedalled with. But by the cringe are they fit! I have some way to go to get where they are.
On the weight challenge, I failed, I wanted a 5 stone loss by yesterday but I came up 2 Ibs short. I can honestly say I did my best though!
My stats for the pedal here:
Started: 30 Jun 2010 05:46:39
Ride Time: 1:18:03
Stopped Time: 0:00
Distance: 12.86 miles
Average: 9.88 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 35.97 miles/hr
Climb: 377 feet
Calories: 734
And route here:
http://maps.google.com/?q=http://share.abvio.com/d1c4/1bb6/4b96/d37e/Cyclemeter-Cycle-20100630-0546.kml
Just to keep everything nice and tidy, this was my pedal home on Tuesday evening. Nothing to report on that.
Started: 29 Jun 2010 15:04:22
Ride Time: 46:16
Stopped Time: 0:14
Distance: 11.63 miles
Average: 13.48 miles/hr
Fastest Speed: 33.21 miles/hr
Climb: 571 feet
Calories: 775
As you can see it was a slow one, ok I had my daysack loaded, but the ride felt very fatigued. It was my last commute until next Thursday. I'm taking a week off the bike to rest up. It is a scheduled rest. I always come back feeling good and rejuvanted and itching to get back on the bike. I'd seriously consider adding scheduled rest into whatever programs you're following.
Also yesterday morning before my meetings I went to the Docs for my 6 monthly blood pressure and check up. As I've mentioned before I take daily meds to keep the BP down, but I ran out last Wednesday and I made a conscious decision not to get any more until I saw the Doc for my check up. I certainly don't recommend you do that by the way if you're on meds of any description.
My reasoning was that my BP reading would be a true unassisted one. It would be a good benchmark. Well, my BP was normal and he took it about 5 times. The upshot is that tomorrow I need a blood test and I have to go back next week to see if I can come off the meds or have the dosage reduced.
I can only explain the reduction in my BP to my new way of life. Regular excercise on the bike, lower body weight and a healthy diet. Nothing amazing or remarkable about it.
On the advice of James the tricky sadistic northerner of the 22 stone cyclist Blog, I am actually going to load my Bergan (army rucksack) with 4 stones 12 Ibs of kit and go for a pedal. He says it's a great illustration of what you were like pre pedalling, or when in my case I did my first canal 6 mile commute.
So a week off the bike then. I'll still be exercising, only I'll be doing upper body stuff. Press ups, pull ups and core exercises such as the plank and various sit ups. As a rugby player (ex player now) I always had quite a big upper body and arms. My arms now look like bingo winged pipe cleaners and you can see bone around my shoulders. Wifey is not impressed. Now I'm not saying that I'll get my rugby playing physique back, but I intend to get some of the old muscle back. Also strengthening my core will help my permanently aching back. I'll continue with the upper body stuff permanently now as part of my daily routine. I'll do it immediately when I get in from work, no messing, get it done. If I sit down and relax then it won't happen.
I'll still Blog while I'm off the bike, though even though I'm guessing there'll be very little bike stuff other than maintenance type info.
Thanks again for the big ups yesterday and again sorry for silence!
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"But they're not fat and struggle with every pedal rotation, "
ReplyDeleteYou wouldn't belive just how much I am struggling at the moment. I can't even ride an electric bike properly.
However, all is not lost. I've removed the left crank from my fixie and fitted a smaller gear so I can ride it one legged. I've also about to start a series of physio appointments to get the movement / strength back in my ankle.
BTW: I'm seriously impressed with the effort you're putting in at the moment!
Ride it one legged!
ReplyDeleteWhat are you like?
Oh and ta! :-)
The word "failed" just doesn't look right in that sentence about your weight loss over the last year. It's just a massive win.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant news about the blood pressure! I hope the doc was suitably impressed.
That's gonnna be an eye opener, cycling with the amount of weight you used to carry about. Good luck!! At home I have a can of pears that weighs exactly 1lb. I keep picking it up and it's actually quite heavy - you would't want to be carrying it about with you all day. I'm amazed I used to have 18 extra of those on me not so long ago. No wonder I was aching all over. Every time I lose another pound now, I think "That's another can o pears gone!"
Enjoy your well deserved rest!
I thought about wording the results about the 5 stone lost challenge differently.
ReplyDeleteBut one of the things I promised myself at the start is not to lie about anything. Obese folk are great liars, especially to themselves, I know I was one. So I tell it like it is.
I knew it would be a toughie, but I'm not too bothered by it as it happens, I used it as a tool to crack on during a bit of plateau.
Thanks for the kind words, and I forgot to mention that I bollocked the doc about BMI too, he went on about mine and I told him would you call a professional rugby player obese? 'cos that's what they all would measure up as using the BMI scale.
He said "I take your point".
Great news on the Blood Pressure. And I love the idea of putting on a pack with the extra weight to remind yourself of what it was like, I may try that.
ReplyDeleteAfter my accident in January, several friends urged me to back off, worried about my safety on the bike. I assured them all I was much more afraid of packing the weight back on than I was of another accident.
Again, well done!
Thanks Mike, accident? Glad you're ok now!
ReplyDeleteMissing your 5 stone target is no biggie. If I remember rightly, you only set it when you signed up for the June 100. Your weight loss achievement is truly remarkable and I'm sure your doctor was impressed. So many people out there give up too easily. You're not one of them. We're all proud of what you've done as, I'm sure are your friends and family. If you're anything like me, you also get a little ego boost every time someone makes a positive comment.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your well deserved rest.
I'm a good bit older than yourself, and yes time is flying, but I have to pass on my sincere congratulations, not only for your fantastic progress, but also for sharing it with us, your readers. More power to your elbow, you'll need it for those push-ups and thingamees!!! I played rugby when I was young, hated training though, always been a lazy so and so, but I loved playing the actual game, it's the same for me with cycling. Like you I'm on BP medication, I've never thought about seeing if I can stop taking the tablets, as they say. I'll make an appointment with the doc. Cheers pal.
ReplyDeleteYeah Im on the blood pressure tabs too, amongst others for diabetes, statins, chlorestorol, blah blah. However I dont think Im anywhere near the point where I could consider asking to go off the BP ones. Still way too chubby for that but its handy to think that one day I could, especially when the doc said "youll be on these for life".
ReplyDelete